All Radio StationsCENSORED
Burundian president Pierre Buyoya ordered the country's private radio stations
not to broadcast interviews with or statements from two rebel groups that
have continued to fight the government amid negotiations to end the country's
9-year-old civil war.

Buyoya called the editors of Burundi's leading radio stationsincluding
African Public Radio, Radio Bonesha, and Radio Isanganiroto his office
and told them they were forbidden to broadcast interviews with or paraphrase
statements from members of the National Liberation Force (FNL) and the Forces
for the Defense of Democracy (FDD). According to The Associated Press, the
stations later aired news of the order even though Buyoya had told the editors
not to report on the ban.

The FNL is the only major ethnic Hutu rebel group that has not signed a
cease-fire accord with Buyoya's transitional government, which was inaugurated
in November 2001. Though the FDD signed a peace agreement with the government
in December 2002, fighting between FDD forces and the army has continued.

According to Umuco, a local private Internet news service, Buyoya acknowledged
that the ban was "unfortunate" but said that it was unacceptable for rebels
who continue to kill to have access to the airwaves. Buyoya asked that the
new measure be observed until a definitive cease-fire accord is signed.
The government usually allows interviews with members of groups that have
signed peace agreements, local sources told CPJ. It is unclear what sanctions
stations that violate the ban will face.

SEPTEMBER 13, 2003

Radio Isanganiro CENSORED

The Burundian government issued an order closing the popular private radio
station Radio Isanganiro after it aired a debate featuring Pasteur Habimana,
a spokesman for the rebel National Liberation Forces, during its talk show
"Mosaïque" (Mosaic). The program, which dealt with the peace process,
was aired after the latest round of talks between President Domitien Ndayizeye
and leaders of another rebel movement, the Forces for the Defense of Democracy,
were delayed, local journalists told CPJ.

Several hours after the broadcast, Radio Isanganiro received a letter from
Communications Minister Albert Mbonerane ordering the station closed for
seven days, according to journalists at the station. Radio Isanganiro ceased
all broadcasts at 3 p.m. that day. The letter accused the radio station
of "endangering national unity" by allowing Habimana to speak on air and
said that authorities had previously forbidden Burundian media outlets from
defaming the government while it is trying to obtain a permanent country-wide
cease-fire.

Following the ban, private radio stations BONESHA FM, Radio Publique Africaine,
and CCIB FM announced that they would refuse to publish any government news
or statements for the duration of Radio Isanganiro's closure.

On September 18, the government's National Communication Council shortened
the ban to five days, effectively lifting it immediately. Local journalists
told CPJ that the radio station began broadcasting the next morning.

SEPTEMBER 16, 2003

Radio Publique AfricaineCENSORED

Authorities closed Radio Publique Africaine (RPA) indefinitely only days
after closing another station, Radio Isanganiro. The shutdown of RPA came
after the station broadcast an interview with a rebel spokesman.

On September 13, Radio Isanganiro was ordered closed for one week for airing
a discussion on the ongoing Burundian peace process. The broadcast featured
Pasteur Habimana, a spokesman for the National Liberation Forces, the only
major ethnic Hutu rebel group that has not signed a cease-fire accord with
the government.

On September 16, RPA broadcast a series of telephone interviews focusing
on the closure of Radio Isanganiro, according to journalists at RPA. During
the program, RPA called Habimana and asked for his reaction. Journalists
at RPA told CPJ that Habimana apologized for causing the ban and also commented
on the collapse of peace talks between the government and another major
rebel group, the Forces for the Defense of Democracy.

Journalists at RPA said that at 6 p.m. that day, the station received a
letter from Communications Minister Albert Mbonerane ordering the station
closed "for an indefinite period," effective 7 p.m. Before going off the
air, the station broadcast parts of the minister's letter, which accused
RPA of "violating Article 44 of the Press Law by vilifying the government
and disseminating propaganda of the country's enemy." The letter also said
that authorities had warned radio stations not to broadcast "inflammatory
statements against the government, which is trying to obtain a global and
permanent cease-fire," a sentence also contained in the letter received
by Radio Isanganiro.

On September 19, the Ministry of Communications lifted the ban on RPA, a
decision that was broadcast by state media and communicated to the station
in writing. Journalists at RPA told CPJ that the radio station began broadcasting
again on September 20.